The present invention relates to a highly versatile anchoring device for components made of concrete or the like.
The building method that uses prefabricated components entails the need to perform the on-site assembly of the components produced in the factory. This assembly can be of the wet type, performed for example by pouring additional concrete or by welding or chemical or mechanical anchoring, or of the dry type, performed by bolting.
In the field of dry assembly, which is the most advanced and currently most widely followed method, anchoring devices are known which use a basic component constituted by a section, commonly known as anchoring section, which is embedded in the concrete component during its production and is used to provide connection with other components by bolting.
Two different types of anchoring section are currently commercially available: C-shaped hollow sections, which are designed to be embedded substantially completely in the concrete component so that the open side of the C-shape is substantially co-planar to one face of the component, and sections which are again C-shaped and designed to be embedded substantially completely in the concrete so that the wing that connects the two arms of the C-shape is substantially co-planar with respect to a face of the component.
In the first case, the sections have a substantially C-shaped transverse cross-section with undercuts at the open side of the C-shape and are embedded substantially completely within the concrete component, so that the open side of the C-shape is arranged flush with one face of the component. In this manner, the open side of the C-shape forms an open channel with undercuts and the shaped head of a bolt is arranged inside the channel and is engaged, following a partial rotation of the bolt about its own axis, with the undercuts formed at the edges of the channel. The bolt is then used to connect the component in which the section is embedded to another component.
The head of the bolt can be arranged in any point of the extension of the channel, according to requirements, and therefore these anchoring devices allow xe2x80x9ccontinuity of engagementxe2x80x9d in the interconnection of the two components.
In the second case, the sections again have a substantially C-shaped transverse cross-section with two parallel wings joined by a connecting wing which is arranged at one face of the component. The two parallel wings are used to provide the stirrup arrangements for anchoring the section inside the component, and at least one slot is formed in the connecting wing and is elongated parallel to the longitudinal extension of the section; a bolt can engage the slot in order to connect the component to another component.
These devices, too, achieve xe2x80x9ccontinuity of engagementxe2x80x9d within the extension of the slot that is formed in the connecting wing of the section and runs along almost all the length of the section.
These conventional anchoring devices suffer drawbacks.
Owing to their particular structure, the anchoring sections of these devices in fact require the use of particular bolts which have a high cost.
Moreover, owing to the fact that these anchoring sections are meant to be embedded substantially completely inside the concrete component, they form, inside the component, a cavity which occupies space within the component and weakens it. Because of this, these sections are seldom usable in components which have a reduced thickness, in which the void formed by the anchoring section excessively compromises the resisting section of the component.
Another problem inherent in the use of these anchoring sections is that they require a depth for grip within the component in addition to the depth required to accommodate said anchoring section. In many cases, particularly in low-thickness components, the thickness of the component is insufficient to achieve adequate anchoring stirrup arrangements for these sections.
Moreover, when using these sections it is not always possible to achieve the possibility to adjust the connection between the two components in two mutually perpendicular directions, one of which is parallel to the longitudinal extension of the section.
Another problem inherent in the use of these conventional anchoring sections is the fact that during the embedding of the section inside the component it is necessary to arrange a sponge, or equivalent protective material, inside the section in order to prevent, during the production of the component, the concrete from entering the section, partially obstructing the cavity. This requirement makes it more complicated to produce the component.
Moreover, these sections require a predefined particular stirrup arrangement which cannot be changed according to the type of component with which said section must be used.
Another problem is the fact that the anchoring stirrup arrangements used with these sections, particularly in the case of sections in which the intermediate slot of the C-shape is slotted, must be adequately protected against oxidation, since a portion of these anchoring stirrup arrangements is constantly exposed to atmospheric agents inside the cavity of the section.
Other hand-made anchoring sections are also known which are simply constituted by perforated or slotted elements which are partially embedded in the concrete component but do not allow xe2x80x9ccontinuity of engagementxe2x80x9d in the connection between the two components.
The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, by providing an anchoring device for components made of concrete or the like which does not penalize the resisting section of the component and allows xe2x80x9ccontinuity of engagementxe2x80x9d in the interconnection of two components.
Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an anchoring device which does not necessarily require the use of bolts and nuts of a particular type.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anchoring device which allows the greatest freedom in choosing the stirrup arrangement for anchoring within the component.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anchoring device which is very safe in the interconnection of two components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anchoring device which does not require particular refinements in order to be embedded within a concrete component.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anchoring device which allows to adjust the connection between two components in two mutually perpendicular directions.
These and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by an anchoring device for components made of concrete or the like, characterized in that it comprises an elongated section which is associable with a concrete component so as to protrude from said component with one of longitudinal sides thereof and with at least one portion of lateral faces thereof, which extend from said longitudinal side; engagement regions being provided on said portion of the lateral faces of the section and forming a plurality of possible engagement positions, mutually spaced along a longitudinal extension of the section, for a coupling element which is detachably associable with said portion of the section that protrudes from the component; said coupling element having at least one engagement region which forms a plurality of possible engagement positions, mutually spaced parallel to the longitudinal extension of the section, for an element for connecting said coupling element to another component or another element to be rigidly coupled to said component; the extension of said at least one engagement region for the connecting element in a direction which is parallel to the longitudinal extension of said section being at least equal to the maximum distance between two contiguous positions of possible engagement provided for said coupling element along said section.